Towards A Free Radical Theory Of Graying: Melanocyte Apoptosis In The Aging Human Hair Follicle As An Indicator Of Oxidative Stress Induced Tissue Damage
May 2006
in “
The FASEB journal
”
melanocyte apoptosis oxidative stress hair follicle melanin synthesis anagen hair follicles pigmentary unit common deletion unpigmented hair follicles pigmented hair follicles premature aging antiaging treatments melanocyte death oxidative damage hair root melanin production growth phase hair follicles coloring unit genetic marker gray hair follicles colored hair follicles early aging anti-aging treatments
TLDR Oxidative stress causes hair to gray by damaging and killing pigment cells.
The study hypothesized that hair bulb melanocytes are particularly vulnerable to free radical-induced aging due to continuous melanin synthesis generating high oxidative stress. Analysis of human scalp skin anagen hair follicles from graying individuals revealed melanocyte apoptosis and increased oxidative stress in the pigmentary unit. The "common" deletion, a marker of oxidative stress damage, was most prominent in graying follicles. Unpigmented hair follicles grew better than pigmented ones, and pigmented follicles exposed to oxidative stress showed increased melanocyte apoptosis. The findings concluded that oxidative stress leads to premature aging and apoptosis of hair follicle melanocytes, making graying hair follicles a valuable model for studying oxidative stress and aging, and testing antiaging treatments.
